Fiddle and the Drum
by makeyafamous
Summary: In the year 2007, a document surfaces that raises several questions about a possible woman in Billy the Kid's life.  Who was this woman and what was her relationship with the Kid and his Regulators?  This is their story.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** Hey everybody. ; I've read so many fantastic stories in the Young Guns category that they all inspired me to write my own. I've never written a western before, let alone a Young Guns fic, so I hope you take that into consideration while you're reading.

Also, this story will take place in the 1870s/1880s. I was just trying something different with this prologue.

Anyway, thank you so much for reading and I hope you'll leave some reviews! 

**  
PROLOGUE**

_"Hello, and welcome back to Channel 5, Coverage You Can Count On. I'm Diana Holden._

_"Interesting news today. It seems there is inconclusive evidence that is shedding a very different light on the short, violent life of William Henry Bonney, also known as Henry McCarty, but better known to the world today as Billy the Kid._

_"Historians are claiming to have found a document that, while it may seem minuscule to us, could rip the glorified legend of Billy the Kid wide open. Professor Norman Blanchard is here to explain what he and his colleagues have found to be so exciting and quite possibly a rewriting of history. Professor Blanchard?"_

_"Thank you. This news is very substantial to the historians who have spent their lives unearthing facts and piecing together the life of Billy the Kid. We never could have expected this one._

_"A colleague and I came across a deed document several weeks ago with not but an unfamiliar name signed to the bottom. The Kid had only one permanent woman in his life and that was his mother, Catherine, whose last name, we believe, was McCarty. However, the female who'd signed this deed had signed her name as Ellabeth Bonney. We'd never heard the name before and that warranted a bit of investigation."_

_"Bonney is one of the aliases of Billy the Kid, right, professor?"_

_"Yes, ma'am. There were no records of an Ellabeth Bonney or even an Ellabeth, as the name certainly wasn't popular in the 1880s. Only days ago, we learned that there were no records of an Ellabeth because she didn't exist."_

_"Meaning?"_

_"Meaning her real name was actually Ella Elizabeth Williamson and she had condensed her first and middle names."_

_"Why would she do that? Was that a common thing to do back then?"_

_"It was common for wanted men and women to change their names so as to elude the law. With the exception of Billy the Kid, of course."_

_"Are you suggesting, professor, that Billy the Kid had a wife?"_

_"We're still looking into it and I seriously doubt that an official ceremony took place, but yes, Diana, it is possible."_

_"Wow. I never would have thought such a violent young man would be interested in having a wife and if he did, that he would want to involve her in his outlaw life."_

_"Well ... "_

_"Or a woman who would intentionally ingratiate herself in Billy the Kid's lifestyle."_

_"Well, Diana, it's not certain that they were married, it's not certain that they even shared a bed, and it's most definitely not certain that she was in any way involved in the Kid's killings or cattle thefts. And for all we know, none of this will ever be confirmed._

_"However, the facts at this point are that there was an Ella Elizabeth Williamson, who, at some point and for unknown reasons, decided to change her name to Ellabeth Bonney. From what we've found out about her so far, she was born in Lincoln County, New Mexico, she wielded a weapon with her left hand, and, according to records, found herself in Lincoln County during the times the Kid rode in."_

_"Will we ever know for certain, professor?"_

_"It's highly unlikely, Diana, that concrete evidence will emerge concerning the relationship, or lack there of, between Henry McCarty and Ella Elizabeth Williamson. But I will say that the implications are there and if by some miracle, or another, Billy the Kid did define her as his wife, the two could have been the 'Bonnie and Clyde' of their time, so to speak."_

_"Isn't it also conceivable, Professor Blanchard, that if this Ella Elizabeth Williamson and Billy the Kid had some sort of romantic relationship, they might have had children together as well?"_

_"I believe we're getting too far ahead of ourselves, Diana. All we have right now is a change of last name, which could turn out to be some girl of no importance who wanted her name to be as famous as the Kid's."_

_"But you are continuing the search for more information on this mystery woman?"_

_"Oh yes, quite so. We'll dig into the late 1870s and early 1880s as much as we can to learn more about her and we'll certainly keep the world informed."_

_"We appreciate it, Professor Blanchard, and thank you for coming on and sharing your discovery with us."_

_"You're very welcome, Diana. Thank you for having me."_

_"Well, there you have it, folks. Did Billy the Kid have a wife? Is it possible a woman rode in William Bonney's close-knit group of Regulators? We may never have the answer, but the thought is clearly mind-boggling enough.  
_

_We'll be right back."_


	2. Author's Note

I know how much everybody hates author notes and updates

I know how much everybody hates author notes and updates. I hate them as well, but I felt I should let all of my readers – who favorited and added this story to their alerts list, as well as my reviewers – that this story WILL BE UPDATED. I've recently moved from one state to another, so it's been a bit difficult to actually sit down and write. But things are getting more settled here and I'm ready to return to this story immediately.

I hope you're all still here!


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